As the Sky Cries
by Golden Dragon Kayleth
Summary: When I suddenly find myself back in the past, who knows how many times, I don't know what to think any longer. There are people who hold the answers, but who are they? What are they hiding? .::.Ryka.::. A Code Lyoko FanFic with one OC.
1. Tragedies of the Worst Kind

(A/N – Disclaimer: Code Lyoko and all respective ideas/characters/etc. do not belong to me in no way, shape or form.

However, Ryka and all other made up names and OCs are mine. –hiss–)

I stare over to the window from my hospital bed, waiting, hoping, that somehow this is all just a dream and I'll wake up. It hurts to move, to breathe, to live….

I've played the scene over a thousand times and more in my head. The bright light, the screeches, the screams, the crash…the utter silence that somehow makes you know someone has died.

My mother died in that accident. My father won't stop crying, for her, for me…

I feel my breath get shallower; it's becoming harder for my lungs to get the oxygen they need.

I watch the rain slide down the windowpane as my father holds my hand. I can't breathe any more; I know I'm going to die.

As I look for one last time at the hospital window I stare in disbelief. The rain is not moving anymore. My dad isn't making a sound, everything is quiet.

A bright, white light engulfs everything. I'm scared. What's happening?

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"Ryka," I hear someone whisper at my side. It's dad. I open my eyes and sit up straight. I'm not in the hospital any more.

"What dad?" I ask. He looks grim.

"I…I don't know how to tell you this…" he sighs. I can tell he's trying not to cry in front of me. "Your mother…she died in a car accident an hour ago."

My eyes widen, I want to scream. It's like every muscle in my body wants to run away from here, the pain, everything that's making me hurt.

He hugs me tight. Dad's crying now. "I would have lost you too if you'd've gone."

I try to remember. What was I going for? Then it hit me; this morning mom had asked me if I wanted to go along with her to the store, a simple enough thing. Somehow I remember saying yes, but…this time it looks like they just let me sleep in and I didn't go so…was this the past?

I just hug my dad back and cry. After what felt like forever I just pull away and crumple into the bed. I want to yell at him to leave. He must understand because he leaves several moments later.

After he leaves I just feel like I have to run somewhere; somewhere as far away from here as possible. He'll come looking for me, but where can I go that he won't think to look? I think about it, and then I know; school. I leap from bed, not wanting to be in this house for another second. I pull on an old T-shirt on the floor, it's a light rosy pink, though I don't feel like that color at all right now, and a pair of jeans that were tossed over the edge of my bed.

My room is on the first and only floor, so it is easy enough to get outside. After that I just run, the rain blurring in my eyes, the cold biting at my uncovered arms.

I slow to a walk as I hop over the gates, ripping the jeans on the lower left leg. I dash under the covered walkways at the side of the building. Looking over I see the school's sign, "Welcome to Kadic Jr. High".

I was about to go inside when I noticed a group of five kids dashing off from the school. If there were five of them then something _must _be up.

I follow them; first of all because I need something to take my mind off mom and pretend life was normal again. Second, because I'm way too curious for my own good.

They don't know I'm following them as they run through their little "secret passageways" and to their "hideout" or whatever you call them. I have to run hard to keep up, not like that's hard with the searing pain built up inside of me.

Silently I observe as they all cram into one giant elevator of sorts and descend. After I'm sure they've all gone to wherever they're going I head over and push the same button to open the doors. Still curious I step inside. I wince slightly as the doors close; I wasn't looking…

Pressing what looks like a "down" button, the freight elevator starts to move. After a few moments it stops, but the doors don't open. _Great_.

Walking over to the key pad I wonder what my chances of guessing the right code are. Zip, I assume. As I'm about to just go for it and press something the door opens. A blonde haired boy just stands there and stares at me for a minute. He's totally in shock.

"What?" I ask him, walking past him into the room. As I notice what's inside though I realize. "Oh…" I mutter.

He still hasn't said anything yet as he dashes back to his computer, though that seems to be quite an understatement for it. "Guys!" he yells, clicking the keys faster than I thought was humanly possible. "Someone's here! They've found us! We have to cancel the mission and go back in time!" he's blabbering on like I'm not even in the room anymore.

"Past?" I ask him, thinking he might be able to answer my question.

He just keeps on ignoring me, clicking away at his keyboard.

I'm about to ask again when a huge white light bursts up into the room and I know it's happening again.

"Return to the past now!" he states flatly and pushes yet another button.

Well, at least I know what's going on now…

The next thing I hear is someone whisper, "Ryka," I know it's dad.

(A/N – So, what did you guys think so far? Please R&R, it's my first CL story.

Also, I think this is a little confusing, but what's up is that Ryka got returned to the past, but at the same point in time as her mother died. People can't become alive again from returning to the past, as noted in several CL episodes. Just go with me here, okay?  
Thanks

Kayleth)


	2. Sanctuary!

(A/N – Thank you to all my lovely fans who reviewed. You are the reason I'm updating so soon. –smiles– Hope you guys like it just as much as the first chapter.

-Kayleth)

He's not saying anything; because I won't open my eyes. I don't want to have to face this, _again_. Tears are trying to form behind my closed eyes, my heart feels like it will burst for the second time; today?

"Go away!" I yell at him, eyes flying open and releasing the tears they held back.

He just stares at me, unable to believe I know what he was about to tell me.

I just shake my head and burry it in my pillows, screaming for him to leave. I know I'm breaking his heart even more.

He leaves the room; his walk trace-like, only held alive by the involuntary functions of his being.

I hear the door shut; he's gone. Leaping from bed I pull on the same clothes I had the last time this happened, though I noticed, but barely, that my jeans weren't ripped any more.

With an agonized scream I leapt out of my window, yet common sense makes me put my feet first; the other part of me wishing I didn't live in a single floor house.

I feel dirt from the yard make contact with my feet and I groan, collapsing to the ground in a sorry heap. I can't stay here, or anywhere. What am I seeing? Am I going insane? Will I have to live this day over and over again for the rest of my sorry life!

I sigh as common sense kicks in again, though my emotions keep me moving as I hop the fence and start toward school. The answers are there; I know it.

I rack my brain for any way I might have known that kid I saw…before. I want to punch myself for not remembering anything, but I can't.

Thinking I might find solace in one of the empty dorms, which no one, and I **mean** _no one_ goes into.

Opening the farthest one at the end of the hall I'm surprised to actually find something. Books? Paper? What _is _all this stuff? I pick up the nearest one; it's deep, navy blue, about an inch thick with paper, most of it written on. The words read;

…_I think I might have finally broken his heart beyond repair today. (Well…the first today, not this one.) When he saw what William tried to do, but, I know he's stronger than that. We're all stronger than that, everyone; Jeremie, Aelita, Odd, myself, and… (why do I have such trouble writing his name?)Ulrich…_

I almost dropped the book;_ this _isn't_ Sissy's, that's for sure. Who are the people she's talking about? And from the writing it's pretty obvious she's totally in love with Ulrich. Even I know who he is, though I'm probably one of the only girls _not _in love with him. _

I shook my head. It was all to open just to try and think of who liked Ulrich; which was practically every girl in school.

I didn't take to kindly to those "everyone loves 'em" boys. They just seemed so stupid to like; what's going to make one of those people notice you? The answer; nothing.

Once again I let out a sigh. _Getting off topic again. _I was thinking as I realized. _Whoever this girl is, she obviously hangs out with these people. _

I set the book lightly back in its spot, not wanting anyone to know I'd been there. Already too overwhelmed with questions I'm not going to bother searching any more.

I'm about to leave the room when I hear the door open behind me. Someone is staring at me again.

"What…-?" they're about to ask, but I turn around and dash out of the room, seeing ebony locks whirl around in the corner of my eye. They yell, but I'm not stopping.

I feel her footsteps thud on the ground; she's chasing me.

I don't think she's really seen me yet, and I'm sure she doesn't know who I am. That's why I keep running.

I'm almost to the door, I start to reach out for it when, **_THWAM! _**

I feel the door strike my face, and then there is nothing…


	3. More Questions Left Unanswered

The first thing I notice is that my head hurts; _a lot!_ Groaning I move my hands up to cradle my head, but as I do I notice something.

_I'm in a hospital bed! _My eyes fly open and I scream.

"Looks like you had quite a shock." someone stated. Then I realized it was the school nurse.

_Not in the hospital. Whew…_I sigh inwardly and look at the light blonde haired lady in front of me. "What happened?" I whisper, as I look right into her eyes.

She thinks for a moment, "Aelita and Yumi dropped you off here about an hour ago. Said they found you like this. You look like you got quite a nasty bump."

I nod, trying to not let my surprise show. I recognize the first name; Aelita. Who is she? I don't want to get the nurse suspicious by asking further questions. "Thanks," I mumble, still holding my throbbing head.

_So, if Aelita was in the book, is Yumi the one who was writing? _I wonder, as I don't know either of the girls personally, or at all.

I lay back on the bed, though it's not all that soft. I just worked up the nerve to ask the nurse another question when, of course, her mobile starts ringing.

She answers and mutters a few things I can't hear. Then she just looks at me, trying to make sure I understand, as she rushes out the door, still on the phone.

_Whatever… _I sigh. _I wish she'd told me their last names, though the names are uncommon enough without them. _

Forcing myself up I stare over to the window. It's _still _raining; though when you've relived a day _three _times over how can you expect to keep your internal clock straight?

Walking out of the infirmary, down the steps and outside I notice there are several people playing soccer. I might as well watch and listen to the latest gossip; who knows? Maybe I'll find out something useful.

I do. The moment I get there I hear yells and calls of, "Go Ulrich!", "Get it past 'em!", and one very off key screech of "_I love you Ulrich!_"It's obvious he's used to all this.

_Well, here's mister soccer star, and the only person I actually know of the names mentioned, though "Odd" sounds awfully familiar._ I take a seat in the back of the stands, watching silently. Several students stare, wondering why I'm not screaming my heart out.

I shrug it off and look off to the side; that's when I notice it's that girl again. She's standing at the outskirts of the woods, staring over at the soccer field, though I know she's got her eye on Ulrich. It's _beyond _obvious.

_Maybe her other friends are busy and she's too shy to just come on her own and watch him? _I wonder as I discreetly go around the back of the bleachers, not letting her see me. I'm not sure what I think she'll do if she sees me, but I feel better that she doesn't.

I'm behind her now; "Yumi?" I ask questioningly.

She spins around, shock and surprise vivid in her dark eyes. She doesn't say anything for a while. She just stares, probably wondering how much of her mushy, gushy diary I read.

"What do you know?" she asks in a quiet, hushed voice. There's hidden fear in it; her eyes give it away.

"That some guy William tried to do something to you, Ulrich got upset, of which you have a major crush on him, and your other friends are Aelita, Jeremie, and Odd." I state, thinking she at least has the right to know, as I have been snooping in her stuff.

"What about you? Do you know anything about me?" I ask, feeling it's a fair question.

"Not really. I do know that you were snooping in my stuff and you banged your head pretty hard on that door when Aelita rushed up to see me." Yumi replies, and shrugs. After a moment she whispers, "You won't tell Ulrich, right?"

I can tell she's concerned about it. "Promise." I sigh lightly, smiling somewhat. "What's a little secret between girls?"

She just nods, obviously in great relief at hearing this. "Thanks," she hums, looking pleased.

We stand there for a moment longer. I really have nothing left to ask her. I'm about to just say something when we hear the lunch bell ring. The boys on the muddy soccer field stop, girls cheering for Ulrich's victory, and they all start off towards the cafeteria.

"I'd better go," Yumi sighs, pointing back towards the lunch area.

I nod and watch her walk off. She's about half way there when two blonde boys and a pink haired girl join her. The one in the lighter blue sweater seems to spark a memory in my mind. I think he was that boy at the abandoned factory.

Following behind them, making sure they don't spot me, I chose a table where I can see them. Ulrich joins them, making it a five-some for lunch. When the boy, either Jeremie or Odd I guess, turns around to welcome his darker brown haired friend I know for sure it _is _that boy from the Factory.

I pick at my food in front of me. It seems extra unbearable today.

"You gonna eat that?" I hear a voice call from behind me. There's that one blonde boy, the other one I don't know, standing off to my right.

"Sure, but you have to answer a question first." I state as he sits at the table next to me. I now notice the others have left.

"Shoot," he shrugs; looking hungrily at the unappetizing food sitting on the table.

"What's your name?" I ask, noting the purple patch of dyed hair on his head. Obviously this kid has an affinity for purple.

"Odd," he replies nonchalantly. "Odd Della Robbia."

I stand up and start to walk off as he digs into the food with the appetite of a starved hippo. I know he has some connection to that kid, who must me Jeremie by process of elimination; and this whole mystery too. It's their group that knows; I'm sure. _But what can they be hiding? _I wonder.

I'm about to head off to the library to see what I can find in the old school news papers, plenty of gossip there, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Ryka Qualinki?" they ask. I freeze; too scared to turn around…


	4. Books, Books and more, uh, Rain?

I finally turn around. Like I said before; I'm too curious for my own good.

One of the school's faculty is standing there. I recognize her as the librarian.

"Oh good, I thought it was you." she states happily. "That book you ordered a few weeks ago on anomalies and paradoxes is in."

I nod and mumble a thanks; she always seems just a little too cheerful.

"I'm sorry about your mother," she whispers, patting my back. It doesn't surprise me that she knows. She's practically the town gossip; always the first to know and offer sentiments.

I sigh and she walks me inside, out of the rain, and through the rows and rows of books to the checkout desk.

"Here we are," she announces with delight, pulling the book from the "Reserved Books" box. She checks it out to me and stamps it, smiling all the while, which is really starting to irritate me.

In fact, with all that's happened in the last few days – correction, "_day_"– I had completely forgotten about the stupid book.

Taking it from her hand with a sigh I walk over to the school news paper archive and sit down at a nearby table, pulling every paper I can carry from the past few months over to the table.

I'm about to flip open my book, but then the pile of news papers slips off to one side and I see the words, "Jemerie Bel-" on the front page of an issue from several months ago.

Setting my book down I pick up the paper and read the full title. "Jeremie Belpois; Super Genius?" There's a picture of the kid, so I know it's the Jeremie I'm thinking about. The paper goes on to talk about how he had achieved a phenomenally high score on some "really hard" test, and yet rumor had it that he'd failed some other test for "Super Geniuses".

_Basically it's just gossip. _I sigh silently. Though this does seem to prove one thing to me; Jeremie is smart. Not just "smart", but abnormally intelligent. It just seems that way to me, though I can't be certain until I have more proof than this gossipy news print.

Picking up my book and shoving the papers back on the shelf I weave my way through the books to the main desk once more.

"Do you know anything about a Jeremie Belpois?" I ask idly as I stop at the counter.

"Why?" she asks, smirking. "You got a crush on 'em?"

"No," I reply so unemotionally she knows I can't be lying. "I just saw something about him in one of the papers back there. Is he really as smart as they say?"

She smiles and doesn't say anything for a moment. I guess she's thinking about it.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what "they say", but I do know that his teachers all give him A's and he's a star student; at least from what I hear." she informs me and goes back to her happy little world of scanning barcodes and shelving books.

As I walk outside again I figure dad will start worrying if I don't get back home soon. Tucking the book under my shirt to keep it dry I run along the sidewalk, dashing quickly all the way home.

I open the door slowly, expecting him to be upset at my disappearance. The lights are off, which is strange for my house. It seems so depressing just to be here.

I wonder into the kitchen, hunger nagging at my mind, as I didn't really eat much at school. Pulling a soda from the fridge I turn around and notice my dad is sitting at the table. He's awake; I think. His face is in a trance, like nothing is real and it doesn't matter what happens.

"Dad?" I whisper, but he doesn't turn and face me. He just keeps sitting there, staring off into nothingness. I feel so sorry for him. He loved my mother; so very much.

"She will never be forgotten," I sigh, placing a hand on his back. It's so unusual to see him so listless and still.

I think I see his head nod slightly. I sigh again and start up towards my room. It's probably about six on this Saturday evening. Closing myself in my room I take out my book again and take a glance through the glossary. The first section I skip, as it's mostly stuff on UFOs and the like. The next section they have though, to my surprise, yet delight, is on time.

There are several theories on it. "Everything that happens is happening with time travel changes already in effect." One says, but I know that's not what's happening to me. Another paragraph talks on and on about "What _is _the present?" I skip that too.

About an hour later of reading I've still found nothing that relates to what's going on in my life. I'm about to close the book and go watch some Tv or something, as there is only so much disappointment I can take in one day. I decide I'll read one more section. Turning the pages I read the start of one paragraph. "Wouldn't it be weird if time rewound and we relived days over multiple times without remembering? What if we could remember though? Or if we could control the process?" This intrigues me, thinking this person has hit it nail on the head.

The rest of it is just junk, as it only goes to about how other people are trying to prove him wrong. I slam the book shut and let it slide to the ground.

I don't know when I drifted off, but the next thing I knew was that I was starting at my clock, the time reading "3:47 am". _Oh joy…_

I lie back on the bed and try to get to sleep again, but there's this sound that won't stop. I just let it irritate me for a while, but enough is enough. Getting up and pulling back the curtains my sleeping brain realizes it's raining, but…it doesn't rain this hard around here.

Something is wrong; it's clearly obvious to me. Pulling on new clothes and a rain slicker I sneak downstairs and open our front door. My eyes open as I see that the lawn is not even visible under the water.

Sloshing outside I look around, the road is flooded and the gutters are starting to clog. I feel sleep pull at me now but can't go back. I'm at a loss; what now?

Then I see a girl dressed in all black, whom I recognize to be Yumi, dashing towards the school. She looks spooked and wide-eyed.

I wait until she's a ways away and then I start following her through the shadows; not worrying about sound, as Yumi's making a ton of it already. She looks too focused on something to notice; I wonder what…


	5. Frozen in Shock, Frozen in Fear

(A/N – Hope you guys like this chapter. It's no walk in the park writing them, I'll tell you. Let me know what you think.

-Kayleth)

The rain beats down on my head relentlessly. The water level is still growing higher still, but I won't stop; and neither does Yumi.

Finally I recognize where we are; The Factory. The sewers are too flooded to travel through, so we never had a moment to escape the pounding droplets.

My hair clings to my head; water is sliding down my face and into my eyes. Pulling my sopping wet sleeve over my face doesn't do much to help.

Sliding down after Yumi I duck under the door, moments before it closes, shutting me in.

I can tell Yumi's afraid. She's looking at me like I'm might hurt her at any moment. "Yumi," I start, looking at her wide eyes. Her pupils are huge, taking up more space than I've ever seen before.

"Who…who _are _you?" she asks, shaking. She sneezes and sniffs; I feel sorry for her condition. She looks like she's been crying all the way here.

I'm about to say something but then the elevator jerks to a stop. She hurries over to the key pad and frantically types in the code.

"The Scanner Room's flooded!" Jeremie announces, shaking as he pulls up windows and codes on his screen.

"Are Odd and Ulrich on Lyoko with Aelita?" she asks, panting.

Jeremie nods, but then takes a grim look to his face. "Xana's not stopping there. He's going all out this time. Not only is he trying to flood the whole city, but when he breaks through the encryption codes he's going to electrocute everyone too!"

Yumi just stands in dull shock. It's like I'm not here; like I don't exist.

"What can we do?" I ask, stepping forward. This news means dad's in danger, and I won't let anything else happen to the only family I have left.

They just stare at me for a moment until a flashing red light goes off on Jeremie's screen. "Ulrich's just been de-virtualized." he states grimly.

Yumi doesn't wait for any more to be said. She dashes back into the elevator, pressing more buttons and the door closes.

It takes several long, long, _long _moments before anything happens again.

"She's got him in the elevator; somehow…" Jeremie mumbles and starts clacking on the keys again.

I turn and face the doors that I know will open soon. Water gushes out across the floor as two forms stay crumpled together in the elevator, gasping for the oxygen they need so badly.

I walk over to them, but don't enter the elevator yet. They're just staring at each other, a bond of trust and love that's understood without words. I just walk away, over towards where Jeremie sits. I should just be happy their alive, but the whole "love" thing is just unbearable to me in this mood.

"Are they going to make it in time?" I ask, staring at the screens into the world I guess is called "Lyoko".

"Aelita's in the tower," Jeremie mumbles to himself, still ignorant to the fact that I'm really here.

I can feel suspense building in the air; or maybe it's just me. I'm about to settle on the latter when the air comes alive with screams and yawls and cries. Even Ulrich and Yumi are joining the chorus, half closing their eyes and yet I know their hearts are breaking to see the other in pain.

There's a huge red exclamation point on Jeremie's screen. He looks drained of all motivation; like he's powerless to do anything now. It looks like the pain is nagging at him too, as I feel it snip at my skin. _It hurts!_

I hold my breath without realizing it until all the noise suddenly stops. Ulrich and Yumi lie still on the elevator floor; I don't even know if their breathing. The whole world seems to have stopped…

"Return to the past now…" Jeremie manages to say in a weak, mumble. I look at his eyes and I know he's thinking, "_Please let it not be too late." _He tries to push down on the 'return' button and then seems to collapse.

My eyes are wide with terror. Shaking more than I ever have in my life I push the button I think he was intending to press, hoping, _praying_,that it all turns out right.

Nothing happens; I feel my heart freeze in cold horror. I'm about to scream when that bright white light that I know all too well bursts into the air and engulfs everything.

_Please let it not be too late…_


	6. Final Realization

(A/N- Okay, -deep nervous breath- hope you guys like the ending. In fact, I think this even has sequel potential. _Please_ let me know what you think.

Hoping for the best, -Kayleth)

The next thing I hear is rain on the roof, but it's not the hard pounding rain that was flooding the city. It's just that normal, comforting pitter-patter that I've grown to tolerate. Not that I have anything against a little rain now and then, but this is just too much.

_I wish it would stop, _I think as I change into new clothes and head into the kitchen for breakfast. There's nothing made; no smell of pancakes, eggs and bacon that always drift through the house on Sundays. It forces me to face the fact that my mother is dead.

Grabbing an apple as I leave I head towards the school, feeling determined now to find out what's really going on; why I'm not dead, why these kids go to some abandoned factory and travel through time.

I walk through the rain, letting it get me wet again; I don't care. The towering, black gate that surrounds the school is at my right now as I walk along the outer sidewalk. I notice Jeremie and his friends are sitting around a bench under the eves, just talking.

I walk up just as their finishing laughing over one of Odd's jokes. I really don't feel like laughing right now.

"Hey," I start, not really knowing what to say. I mean, you can't just walk up to people and go "_I know all about you guys and your giant computer and this Lyoko place and blah-blah-blah!_" There is nothing more lame-sounding than that statement, right there.

"I heard about…you know." Yumi says to me, standing up, treating me like I don't know anything about their secret, just like she should.

"Thanks," I mutter, looking right past her. "Jeremie," I start, taking a step away from Yumi. He looks surprised, like "How do you know my name?" surprised. He doesn't say anything, like he's hoping I won't push it. I feel awkward; everyone's eyes are staring at me, digging little holes in my skin. "Wha…" I stumble. I feel more nervous than I should. "What _is _Lyoko?" I ask.

They all look uncertain. I guess no one had ever thought the day would come when someone would find out about their secret on a permanent basis.

After a long time of no one saying anything, the girl I know to be Aelita stands up. "It's my home." she states, her tone unafraid, but flat.

The others look at a loss, but Jeremie looks as if his whole world is about to fall apart. I think I see a tear starting to form up, but I can't be certain.

"It's…It's a virtual world," he says at last, standing up at Aelita's side. "How…how much do you know?" he asks.

Ulrich hasn't said anything. He just sits there, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Why are you all looking at me like I'm going to kill you or something?" I ask, and though I don't know why, this question makes Jeremie cringe with anger. Aelita just looks worried for him, wanting him just to calm down.

"Just tell me what's going on!" I almost yell, feeling the darkness of this situation running through me. I drop my tone so no others will hear me, "I know you guys go back in time, I know you go to some virtual world called Lyoko and well, I would be dead right now if it weren't for you guys." I feel tears running down my face, unbidden.

I turn to walk off but a feel a hand placed on my shoulder. I turn around; it's Aelita.

"You have every right to know," she sighs, and starts to explain. "We fight against a virtual super intelligence called Xana. He wants something from my memory; none of us know what it is. He takes control of people and things to cause chaos here, and we fight against his forces on Lyoko to stop him."

I nod, dumbstruck at what I'm hearing, though, what was I supposed to expect in the first place? I'm about to ask her why they don't just shut Xana down, but she keeps going then.

"We can't stop Xana until Jeremie finds the antivirus for me. I'm linked to Lyoko, and if shut it down Xana will die, but so will I." she looks down at this, trying not to show me how afraid she is. Jeremie takes her hand, but I look away. I can't stand any more feelings right now.

"What are you going to do now?" a voice asks that is new to the conversation. It's Ulrich. "Now that you know?" he adds, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"What am I supposed to do?" I ask, looking at them in puzzlement. I never really realized how much actually _solving _this mystery would change my life.

I look up and see that Yumi's placed her hand on my other shoulder. She's not smiling, but she's got that calm, "I've got a suggestion" look.

"Fight with us," she offers, and I see Aelita nod in agreement.

Odd smiles, the first one of those I've seen in what feels like forever. "Sure! It'll be nice to have some help around here. Saving the world on a daily basis isn't easy after all!" he smiles and laughs at his own comment. I smile a little bit too.

Ulrich nods, his eyes telling us that he thinks the idea is acceptable.

"Well Jeremie?" Aelita asks, looking with a pleading hope into his eyes.

"Yeah, don't be a scrooge about it." Odd chimes in, still grinning.

He's completely out numbered now and I know it's only a matter of time before-

"Alright!" he announces, smiling lightly now. "Welcome to the team, uh…" he starts when he realizes they still don't know my name.

"Well, this is embarrassing, isn't it?" Odd laughs, still grinning in wide sheepishness.

"I'm Ryka," I say, somehow feeling a huge burden lift off me at those two little words.

"Then welcome to the team Ryka," Jeremie states, finishing what he started.

Aelita and Yumi are smiling, each with one hand on one of my shoulders.

I look out over the fields and I notice it's not raining any more. I smile, wide, and for the first time since my mother died I realize that I don't have that dark cloud hanging over me any more.

"We've got a lot of work to do if we're going to have a virtualization program for her Jeremie," Aelita hums, knowing that together they'll have it in no time.

I nod, still feeling like I don't quite fit in this group yet, but I know that it will come with time. They've been through more things than anyone remembers; except them of course.

"Yeah, and that means more leftovers for me!" Odd announces, smirking widely. Ulrich glares at him, but I know it's not meant in a mean way.

"What?!" Odd asks, "Was it something I said?"

"Guys," I hear Yumi call, telling them to knock it off.

"So, who wants to go get ice cream to celebrate?" Odd asks, back on the subject of food.

The group nods, which includes me, though it's strange to think that I'm really a part of it already. I'm not really, not yet, but I'm not going to worry about it.

We're almost all the way to the shop when it starts raining again suddenly. Dashing inside, laughing for no reason in particular I know everything will work out.

I'll fight against this evil. To prove myself to them, to protect myself and the people who I hope will become my friends. To save this city, this school, and the family I have left. I know I'll never be alone in this and that is what will keep me strong; day after day, fight after fight, and through my pain, even as the sky cries.


End file.
